Cyberwar Season 1 Episode 15 Crime & Government: Russia's Hackers

Crime & Government: Russia's Hackers is the 15th episode of season 1 of the epic BBC documentary series, Cyberwar. This episode focuses on the Russian government's cybercriminal operations and its impact on global cybersecurity.

The episode starts with an overview of the Russian government's long history of computer hacking. The country's cyberwarfare strategy was first seen in the invasion of Georgia in 2008, where Russian hackers shut down the country's internet. It was followed by the interference in the 2016 US presidential election, where Russian hackers carried out a large-scale disinformation campaign, and then the NotPetya malware attack in 2017, which hit critical infrastructure in Ukraine and worldwide.

The episode then delves into the type of hackers who carry out these attacks and the skills needed to pull off such sophisticated cyber operations. It explains how Russia's government-backed cybercriminals operate with full impunity and the support of the country's intelligence services. The hackers are given exceptional access to resources in the country, including top-notch technical support, guidance, and even state-funded cyberattacks against foreign governments and their critical infrastructure.

The episode highlights one of the most prominent Russian hacking groups, "APT28" or "Fancy Bear." It outlines their aggressive tactics, hacking tools, and attack methods with the involvement of Moscow's military intelligence agency, the GRU. The episode describes how Fancy Bear carried out the 2016 US presidential election interference, stealing emails from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, which were then leaked to provide political influence in favor of President Donald Trump's candidacy.

Moreover, the episode explains how Fancy Bear has since expanded its activities to Europe, targeting governments, nongovernmental organizations, and businesses. It walks through the group's cyber espionage operations in France, Germany, and Ukraine, as well as its activities against anti-doping agencies and international sports institutions that Russian officials believed had unfairly sanctioned Russian athletes for doping.

The episode then moves on to the role of Russian government officials in these cyber operations and how they have even taken on a public persona so that the Russian state can deny involvement in such activities. The episode also talks about a few Russian hackers, living outside the country, who were charged with cybercriminal offenses by the US government. This included alleged hacker Andrei Tyurin, who was extradited from Georgia and pleaded guilty to numerous crimes, including hacking into the United States' financial services industry.

This episode concludes by painting a picture of the challenges the world faces in countering the Russian government-backed cybercriminal elements and the devastating consequences of these activities. It emphasizes the dire need for greater cooperation among international law enforcement agencies to investigate, prosecute, and deter such nefarious activities.

In summary, Crime & Government: Russia's Hackers is a gripping, well-produced documentary that provides fresh insights into the dark side of Russian government cyber operations. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in cybersecurity, global relations, and geopolitics.